When GB (the bear, not the monkey) was a current show on TV we were living in Nelson in the BC southern interior. Many areas of town were close to the wilderness, including our place - we had black bears on our front porch regularly, and it was a good evening's entertainment to watch the wiser bruins steal apples from the bear trap trailer.

A mile or so from our place, a young mother happened to look out in her back yard one afternoon to check on her four year old son who was playing there. To her horror, he was petting and talking to a large Ursus americanus. She managed to stay calm and call him inside, and when the door was closed she promptly collapsed, hugging the boy and crying hysterically. The little guy couldn't understand all the fuss, and he told her, "It's all right, mommy, I was just playing with Gentle Ben!"